- Corsairs drop 1-0 overtime loss to Keene State
in LEC semi-finals to wrap up 1999 season
(Dartmouth, MA)-UMass Dartmouth finished the 1999 season with a 9-9 overall record
and 1-3 for fourth place in the Little East Conference. But the fourth-seeded Corsairs
did not go quietly in the LEC Championship Tournament, advancing to the semi-finals
where their season was finally closed out with a 1-0 overtime loss to eventual champion
Keene State College.
The overtime loss to Keene State in the LEC Tournament was the second such loss by
the Corsairs during the 1999 season. In a game played at UMass Dartmouth on October
9, the Corsairs blanked Keene State through regulation and a pair of sudden death
periods. The Owls eventually prevailed on penalty strokes for the 1-0 final score
which preserved Keene State�s perfect mark in the LEC.
Three weeks later in the LEC Tournament, following a 1-0 first round win over Eastern
Connecticut, the Corsairs again gave the Owls all they could handle. This time the
Corsairs threatened Keene State�s 35-game winning streak on their home field, before
falling victim to an overtime goal. The Owls' Kelly Smith scored the game-winner
at 5:16 of the first sudden death to eliminate the Corsairs and end their season.
In recognition of the Corsairs' efforts throughout the regular season and tournament,
three members of UMass Dartmouth�s field hockey team were recognized by the Little
East Conference with post season awards following the 1999 season.
Junior back Sarah Tuxbury (Sudbury, MA) and sophomore goalie Jennifer Burrows
(Hubbardstown, MA) were both named First Team All-Little East Conference All-Stars.
Both Tuxbury and Burrows were also named to the 1999 Little East Conference All-Tournament
Team.
For the second year in a row, Coach Marilyn Ritz had the Little East Conference's
Rookie of the Year selection. First-year back Erin Dziedzic (Palmer, MA) was
named the 1999 Little East Conference Rookie of the Year, one year after Burrows
earned the same award after her first season with the Corsairs in 1998.
Tuxbury was one of the Corsairs' key defensive players during the 1999 season, coming
up with a team-high four saves on defense in 18 games.
Burrows had another outstanding season in goal for UMass Dartmouth, appearing in
all 18 Corsair games, and allowing only 21 goals with 145 saves. She finished the
season with an LEC leading 1.15 goals against average with 4.5 shutouts to her credit.
Burrows earned LEC Honor Roll distinction in the final week of the season after coming
up with 31 saves in three games, including two LEC Tournament games. In the 1-0 overtime
loss to Keene State in the LEC semi-finals, Burrows made 22 saves in a losing effort.
Dziedzic was one of UMass Dartmouth's top offensive players, appearing in 16 games
and getting credit for 31 shots on goal. Dziedzic finished the season with 2 goals
and an assist for five points, tied for fifth best on the squad, and also came up
with 2 saves on defense. Senior forward Ashley Dorman (Harwich, MA) was the
Corsairs' leading scorer for the 1999 season, finishing with a team-high 9 goals
and 2 assists for a total of 20 points. Appearing in all 18 UMass Dartmouth games,
Dorman had a team-high 64 shots on goal.
Junior defender Erin McDonald (Greenfield, MA) was UMass Dartmouth's
second leading scorer with four goals and an assist for nine points. Three of McDonald�s
four goals were game-winning goals for UMass Dartmouth.
First-year forwards Jinneane Sperrazza (Mansfield, MA) and Angela Carr
(Dartmouth, MA) tied for third in scoring with 3 goals for 6 points each.
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